It’s been quite the precarious recruiting cycle for Florida State thus far. The Seminoles got off to a quick start, landing early commitments from five-star running back James Cook — the younger brother of Dalvin Cook — and four-star receiver Justin Watkins. Unfortunately, both of these talented prospects have decommitted and will likely be headed elsewhere. It’s especially tough to lose a legacy recruit like Cook after his brother is regarded as the best running back in program history.

Since then, FSU has garnered commitments from high-level prospects such as linebacker Amari Gainer, offensive lineman Verdis Brown, cornerback AJ Lytton and cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. Gainer and Samuel have quickly established themselves as two of the best recruiters for the Seminoles 2018 class and their efforts are beginning to pay off.

Gainer is good friends with five-star quarterback and perhaps the top player in the country, Justin Fields. In fact, Gainer and Fields spent time together last week at the Jimbo Fisher Camp after Fields made his way down to Tallahassee.

Four-star cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. has quickly established himself as one of Florida State’s best recruiters for the 2018 class.(Photo: FSView file photo)

Every other quarterback that Florida State has offered in the 2018 class has committed elsewhere, except Fields. It’s clear that Fisher is betting on landing one of the top quarterback prospects in the country and the Seminoles are still jockeying for position with Georgia for the lead in Fields’s recruitment.

Still, it was huge for FSU to get him back on campus after Fields had a good visit to Athens. His commitment would instantly turn the ’Noles class into a slam dunk and it’s already well on its way to becoming elite.

Fisher and his staff have assembled a class that currently rank No. 9 by the 247 Composite Rankings. FSU has 17 verbal commitments right now, and could be looking to add upwards of eight more players by the time this recruiting cycle is complete.

The first commitment during the Jimbo Fisher camp was a surprise out of left field. After participating in on field workouts with coaches, three-star defensive end Chaz Neal received an offer from Florida State. It didn’t take a lot of deliberating for the six-foot-seven, 250 pound prospect to decide to accept that offer and commit to the `Noles.

Neal plays at Armwood High School and is teammates with major FSU wide receiver target Warren Thompson. He’s a raw prospect who will need a couple of seasons of development at the collegiate level to hone in on his fundamentals. Neal needs to improve his burst off the line while incorporating the use of more of his hands when he battles offensive linemen. He could wind up in this class, but it seems likely that if a higher ranked prospect comes calling for a spot, Neal would be the odd man out.

Akeem Dent was the second player to commit to the Seminoles at camp. The 2019 defensive back prospect was already high on Florida State’s radar and his experience at the camp solidified his choice. Dent is the younger cousin of former Seminole receiver, Greg Dent. Greg Dent was dismissed after alleged criminal misconduct but the charges were later dropped. He went on to participate in Florida State’s Pro Day in 2016.

Akeem is rated as one of the top defensive backs in the 2019 class. He displays the ability to lock down opposing receivers in college and he’s also extremely athletic. 247 currently ranks him as the No. 1 defensive back in the country and the No. 5 overall player for the 2019 class.

The momentum didn’t stop rolling after Dent’s commitment. Three-star safety Jonathan Huggins attended the Seminoles camp in June and came away with an offer. Fisher and his staff loved the under the radar prospect but had questions with his academics. Huggins spent the last month finishing up online classes and raising his GPA, thus making his offer committable.

Overall, he’s a hard hitting defensive back who should move up in the rankings throughout his senior season. Huggins is a teammate of FSU wide receiver commit D’Marcus Adams at Mainland High School.

Florida State is currently in the fold with many of the top wide receiving prospects in the country and look to sign four to five players. Fisher and his staff were able to land commitments from Adams and Antoine Green prior to the July camp, which meant only three spots remained as targets such as Ezzard, Thompson, and Jaylen Waddle stopped by Tallahassee.

FSU will also host five-star receiver Justyn Ross on a visit next week with his family which could help prelude into how his recruitment might play out. The spots at receiver are limited and it’s now time for these recruits to hop on board if they want one.

Marquez Ezzard did just that. The four-star wide receiver from Stockbridge, GA. committed to Florida State over Georgia.He was originally leaning towards committing to the Bulldogs, but fell in love with FSU after a visit to Tallahassee.

Ezzard boasts impressive hands as well as a physical nature that has caused some recruiting analysts to compare him to former Seminole great Anquan Boldin. He’s a big time wide receiver who will enroll early, which could give him a shot at early playing time. Ezzard gives the `Noles an elite receiver prospect and allows them to be selective with the rest of their wide receiver commitments.

The Seminoles would continue to add to their talented classes into the weekend. Jalen Curry, a four-star 2019 wide receiver, committed to FSU shortly after leaving the Jimbo Fisher Camp. Curry is from Texas and has relationships with freshman defensive tackle Marvin Wilson and rising sophomore linebacker Dontavious Jackson.

Curry has awesome hands that allow him to make grabs in traffic and while taking contact. He’s also a physical receiver who isn’t afraid to try and run over defenders. Curry shows off an amazing ability to accelerate once he catches the ball, he’s really fast. His commitment brings the `Noles 2019 class to eight commitments which ranks them second in the country.

FSU received even more good news on Monday morning when three-star safety Israel Mukuamu announced his decision. Mukuamu chose Florida State over South Carolina and is another great addition to the Seminoles secondary.

His six-foot-five frame will make him a long and versatile prospect at safety. Mukuamu uses his hands well when jamming receivers and also shows off good coverage instincts. He’s a rawer prospect who will need some developmental work while he grows into his frame.

Fisher and his staff are still relentlessly pursuing the recruiting trail as they attempt to land the final pieces of their 2018 class. Justin Fields, Warren Thompson, and other elite prospects have yet to decide, but Florida State has to be pleased with the solid foundation it has built thus far in the recruiting cycle.